It’s no secret that Android is still lagging behind the competition in terms of tablet optimized apps. With Google officially carrying an Android tablet on the Play store, it’s time for something to be done about that. Google has been working hard to emphasize how important it is to build dynamic apps that scale and adjust to different display sizes, and today they’re driving that home with the Tablet App Quality Checklist.

Announced on the official Android Developers Blog, Google’s new Tablet App Quality Checklist is meant to be used as a guide to help developers better design apps to be used on ten- and seven-inch tablets. The checklist includes small lines of sample code, links to other app developing guidelines, and sections on everything from utilizing the added screen space of a tablet and tablet compatible icons, to using appropriate fonts and widget sizes. There’s even a link in the announcement post to a list of tablet apps Google considers to be the cream of the crop. Mint.com Personal Finance, Tiny Village and Instapaper all made the list.

It’s great to see Google reaching out to the app development community like this and making a stand for quality tablet applications for Android. If you’re a developer with an interest in making better apps for Android tablets, you can visit the Tablet App Quality Checklist now, as well as the Android Developers Google+ account where there are always hangouts and live video feeds discussing everything there is to know on developing for Android.

Most Tweeted This Week

Arthur

I am glad to see Google taking further steps towards somewhat standardizing certain aspects of Android. Obviously no Android advocate or fan I know of would want Apple level of strictness throughout the OS but Google with Android is on the opposite end of that spectrum where they allow too much free reign within the OS with regards to app creation and what is allowed.

I wouldn’t mind if Google put its foot down even further given how many tools they supply in the SDK and documentation about how to design apps that conform with their expectations for ICS/JB. After using a app that uses Holo (The Verge’s app is a great example) to one that does not, you wonder how you did with these poorly designed apps all this time.

zerosix

The problem is as follows: nobody even opens the guidelines. Google’s steps are useless.
I suppose, only moderation can change the situation. They should make developers open the guidelines.

Arthur

Well Google is starting to see that their originally approach with Android was way too relaxed and if they wanna take on iOS in the long term and convert the loyal iOS users to join Android that they will have to take more strict measures to get developers in line with their goals the OS.

These measures should have been taken from day 1, expressed by Google in simple terms for all developers to follow but you live and you learn and even though it is far later in the game then I would have preferred, at least they are actively taking steps now to right their wrong.

Triplanetary

What Google needs primarily is stricter quality control in the Play Store (something they’ve been creeping slowly, oh so slowly toward all along, but still aren’t quite there yet). That doesn’t have to conflict with Android as an open platform. Unlike in iOS, you don’t have to install apps from the official store.

I don’t think it would be unreasonable for Google to formulate a strict quality guideline that an app *must* adhere to in order to be eligible for the Play store. It would certainly eliminate all the adware, malware, and hopefully at least some of the cheap knockoffs like Irate Avians or whatever.

Admittedly, it may require ungodly amounts of (wo)manpower to verify every single app that gets submitted, in which case I suppose I understand their reluctance.

http://droidsamurai.blogspot.com DroidSamurai

A certification program can easily fix that problem — Google can charge a small fee (5 bucks, may be) to certify an app: if an app passes the minimal quality check, a portion of the fee is refunded back to the developer, otherwise, the entire fee will be kept by Google. Certified apps, of course, will get better exposure in the Play Store. In fact, Google can go one step further and certify apps that’re virus/malware free (with a higher fee, I guess.) Developers can choose not to participate and continue to upload app like they are doing today. But those who take pride in their app quality can benefit from the program.

A&M lies to u

taylor lied to u guys and u guys just turn the other way. grow a sack people and stop defending him

zerosix

Nobody wants a moron here. Get out of my internets.

DroidRocka

YOU SHUT UP GUY! don’t worry Taylor I got em..he won’t do it again lol

stenzor

You’re that guy who doesn’t read disclaimers and then drinks bleach and dies right?

jamal adam

You got some nerve coming on this site and being an impudent, disrespectful, asshole. Go back to your cave and stay there because you and your comment don’t belong here.

Triplanetary

What I find amusing is that Tiny Village made the list not because its tablet functionality actually provides a better experience for the user, but because it manages to monetize that additional screen real estate.

I mean, I get it, it’s a guide for developers, so that’s one of their concerns. But the overwhelming trend is for modern Facebook and mobile games to put monetization first instead of trying to actually make a good game. They just slap together a core of stale, shallow gameplay, and wrap it in a shell of money-grabbing techniques. This is the kind of thing that makes people hate EA – games with “features” that are clearly only there to increase revenue and not actually add value to the game. BioWare was making millions of dollars before EA forced them to slap that shit all over their games, so clearly they can do without it.

All I’m saying is Google shouldn’t be encouraging this trend. Mobile gaming is off to a bad start because of it.

Ken Marshall

Shut up u moron

MoSDeeb

This will be a helpful resource as tablet optimized apps are lacking.

Ardrid

It’s nice to see Google taking a more active stance/role in tablet development. There are too few tablet designed apps right now, which is problematic given that we’re more then 2 years out since the introduction of Honeycomb. Hopefully between the Nexus 7, JB, and these new guidelines, we’ll see developers start to step up.

runekey

Idk, all of the apps I’ve been running on my Nexus 7 don’t seem stretched or oddly formatted and they all use the extra space provided very well.

Nathan D.

There are tons of tablet optimized apps all ready helpfully this will make more

mario_1603

hi

Select a phone:(optional)

+

Number of Lines

- Any -

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Minutes Unlimited

Messages: 500

Data

Select the amount of total data you need for the entire plan.

For example, if you need 2 lines with 1 GB of data each, you would select 2 GB of data with the data slider below.